Capitan wins a tight one, Hondo wins big, while Ruidoso's game at Hot Springs is cancelled

The Capitan Tigers hung on Friday to post a close 7-6 win over perennial non-conference rival Fort Sumner to go 2-1 overall for first year head coach Jim Hughes. The Hondo Eagles demoralized Floyd Friday, 56-0, and fly out to a 3-0 season start. The Mescalero Apache Chiefs lost at home Thursday to the Tularosa JV, 22-16 and are now 1-2. Carrizozo had a bye last weekend.

Ruidoso's game at Hot Springs was cancelled because of heavy rains. Reportedly, the football field there was under water and unusable. The Warrior coaching staff learned of this late Friday morning and it was temporarily discussed that the game would be played in Ruidoso, but then it was realized that the Hot Springs football team was unable to even leave town because of the heavy rainfall.

Mike Curran Ruidoso News (null)

Capitan

The 1A Tigers scored what proved to be the winning touchdown midway through the first quarter in a rain-drenched gridiron home contest against the visiting Fort Sumner Foxes, 7-6, for Capitan's second straight win. For Tiger coach Jim Hughes, this was his third game at the helm and he was happy with the win no matter how close it was. Hughes has coached now for 31 years. His last assignment, before coming to Capitan, was in Wilcox, Ariz.

"To me, it was just a win," Hughes said. "I don't think we completed a pass Friday evening. Neither side could get a grip on the ball because of the downpour. Credit Fort Sumner, though, they had heart and never gave up."

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Part way into the first quarter of play, senior running back Thomas Fields scored the winning touchdown on a 45-yard scamper around the right side. The successful PAT proved to be the deciding factor in the game.

True to what Hughes said about the Foxes never giving up, the visitors scored a TD with less than a minute left in the game. They then tried a 2-point run off their right side for the win but that was nullified by the stalwart Capitan defense.

"I would have tried the same thing," Hughes explained. "We plugged it up and stopped them."

Hughes has 32 players on his roster, including four eighth-graders.

"We have some good talent," he said. "We had some injuries and had to put a freshman running back on the line. Both teams loaded up in the box with 10 players instead of the normal seven.

"I have a great coaching staff and I'm glad to have them on board. I wanted something different and that's why I chose Capitan. I love the area."

Hondo

The Eagles went to Floyd for their third straight away game in as many outings and returned home with a 56-0 pummeling of the broncos which gave Hondo a perfect 3-0 start to the season.

"We thought we did pretty good," Hondo head coach Brandon Devine said. "The boys and I are proud to get off to a good start but we sure have been on the bus for a while."

Devine, in his 12th year at the helm in Hondo, liked what he saw at Floyd.

"We only threw three passes in the game and we kicked deep," he said. "We took it straight to them. We have a good core of athletes. The players now on the varsity were undefeated at the JV level when they were seventh- eighth- and ninth-graders."

So far, the Eagles have outscored their three adversaries, 174-44.

"This is one of our best starts and they were all on the road," Devine said.

Next up

Hondo will take on Lake Arthur Friday at 7 p.m.

"We will have a big test at home this Friday when the 3-0 Lake Arthur Panthers come to Hondo," Devine said. "This year's version of the Panthers is basically the same team they won the championship with last season. They only lost one senior to graduation and have five on this year's roster."

Conversely, the Eagles have only have two 12th-graders on their 2013 team. But then, they have proven to be tough competitors with what they have and will likely have winning teams for at least the next two seasons. Don't let Devine's friendly down-home personality fool you. He knows how to coach 6-Man football and handle his troops.

"Yes, we're off to a good beginning," he said. "But in the final analysis, what counts is where you end up. The Lake Arthur game will be a chance for us to work, improve and get better while we're not in district play yet. So far, though, the mental aspects of the Hondo players are building a good attitude."

Capitan will travel to the 2-1, 2A Estancia Bears for a 7 p.m. battle.

"The Bears will have the same type of offense as Fort Sumner," Hughes said. "They have talent and we will have our hands full."

Carrizozo will take its 8-Man show on the road to Springer/Maxwell for a 7 p.m. competition and Mescalero will have a bye.

Ruidoso, will have a home-coming weekend contest at Horton Field Friday at 7 p.m. with West Las Vegas.